The Book Thief

April 02, 2010

The results of Reading Group Choices annual survey are in, and here are the top 10 discussible books for book clubs from last year, as chosen by reading groups themselves! It's nice to see many books my book club has read on here (The Help, Guernsey and Olive Kittredge) and many we've yet to read! Enjoy:

July 22, 2008

Newsweek has honored Anne of Green Gables and her importance with this article on all the hoopla surrounding her 100th anniversary. (and don't forget Diane Rehm's discussion of the book tomorrow, 7/23, on her Reader's Review). But I must disagree with Ramin Setoodeh's contention that "it's rare to find a best seller with a strong heroine anymore," in YA literature. You can read my response to his article on the Newsweeksite and I've also pasted it here.

"I agree that Anne is an amazing heroine and applaud her receiving so much coverage in Newsweek, and I also agree that there are many heroines from classic YA literature who should get more respect (most notably Maud Hart Lovelace's intelligent and independent aspiring writer Betsy Ray of the Betsy-Tacy series). But I strongly disagree that "it's rare to find a best seller with a strong heroine anymore." One look at the New York Times children's bestseller list from the past five or so years will reveal the following fantastic females: Louise Rennison's hilarious and indefatigable Georgia Nicolson who was first introduced in Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging; Ann Brashares' fast friends in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series (which is popular enough to garner its second feature film adaptation next month); Meg Cabot's strong and smart Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries (also a successful film franchise) as well as her Allie Finkle from Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls; Cornelia Funke's Meggie from Inkheart; Gail Carson Levine's intrepid Ella Enchanted; and brave Liesel Meminger from Mark Zusak's The Book Thief, to name just a few."

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Who is Book Club Girl?

Book Club Girl is: a member of a book club and an avid reader who spent most of her childhood immersed in a book, an English major who considered library school until she realized it was all about computers, so turned to publishing, where she now works (but she vows to talk about books from all over and not to simply flog those from her own house). She was single, lived in the city, met a man, moved to the 'burbs, and is now a wife, a stepmother, a mother, and in her spare time, a fledgling blogger dedicated to sharing great books, news and tips with book club girls everywhere.

My Review Policy

I review fiction and nonfiction that is appropriate for book clubs. This includes literary and some women's commercial fiction as well as memoir and narrative nonfiction. I do not review self-help, thrillers, mysteries, horror, or fantasy. I have a fondness for YA literature and while the blog is not devoted to it (well, except for my obsession with the Betsy-Tacy series), I will occasionally review some YA books. The best way to reach me to request a review is to email me at bookclubgirl AT gmail DOT com.